Claims guide · FloridaUpdated July 2026
Filing a Florida Roof Claim Without Losing It
Florida's 2022–2023 insurance reforms rewrote the claim clock and killed assignment-of-benefits. Here's the current sequence, deadline by deadline.
Know your deadlines first
| Action | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Initial claim notice | 1 year from date of loss | SB 2-A (2022) |
| Supplemental / reopened claim | 18 months from date of loss | SB 2-A (2022) |
| Insurer must acknowledge | within 7 days | FL claims handling standards (2023) |
| Insurer must pay or deny | within 60 days | FL claims handling standards (2023) |
Deadlines shifted twice since 2021 — verify against your policy and the Florida DFS site for losses after new legislative sessions.
The sequence that protects your claim
- Document before touching anything. Date-stamped photos/video of every slope, interior stains, debris. Drone shots help; your phone works.
- Mitigate. Your policy obligates you to prevent further damage — tarp it, keep the receipt (reimbursable).
- Notify your insurer directly. Not through a contractor. Assignment of benefits is prohibited on policies issued since January 1, 2023 — a contractor "handling the claim for you" has no standing.
- Get your own itemized estimates (2–3, from licensed local contractors) before the adjuster visit — see how to read a roofing quote. You'll negotiate from evidence, not hope.
- Attend the adjuster inspection. Walk it with your photos and estimates.
- Disagree in writing. Underpaid? Invoke your policy's appraisal clause, request DFS mediation (free program), or hire a licensed public adjuster (fees capped by FL law).
ACV vs RCV and the hurricane deductible
RCV (replacement cost value) pays what a new roof costs; ACV subtracts depreciation — on a 15-year-old shingle roof that can halve the payout. Check which your policy carries before you need it. Hurricane deductibles in Florida are typically 2%, 5%, or 10% of your dwelling coverage (not of the roof price) and apply once per calendar-year hurricane season. A $400,000 dwelling limit with a 2% hurricane deductible means the first $8,000 is yours.
A contractor offering to "waive" or "eat" your deductible is proposing insurance fraud — illegal in Florida for both parties. Walk away.
FAQ
Do I need a public adjuster?
Not for straightforward claims. Consider one when the gap between insurer offer and contractor estimates is large; Florida caps their fees (10% on declared-emergency claims in the first year, 20% otherwise). Verify their license on MyFloridaCFO.
Should the roofer talk to my insurer?
Your contractor can provide estimates and meet the adjuster on the roof — useful. But the claim stays in your name; assignment of benefits is banned on post-2022 policies, and any contractor promising to 'take over the claim' is a red flag.
What if damage shows up months later?
Supplemental claims run on the 18-month clock from date of loss, not from discovery. Inspect and document soon after every named storm even if the roof looks fine from the ground.
City guides
Martin County
St. Lucie County
Indian River County